Getting Old Is.....

Wierd

Last night we went to see my nephew's band play at a bar/pizzeria in an very nice, sort of funky neighborhood of Seattle. As we approached the establishment at about 9:30 there was a group of 20-somethings being carded at the door. The bouncer just looked at us and signaled for us to just walk in - darn! We sat, ordered drinks and dinner. Our young server was very pleasant and attentive, but as we sat and sat, ordered second drinks and enjoyed the music, she obviously was very confused. It made some sense for these old people to come in early-ish and order dinner...but why on earth were they hanging around so long? She came by about every ten minutes clearly expecting us to ask for the check. About 11:45 the band took a break, we had a chance to talk with Tom, and finally paid our check.....and the relieved server could go back to the normal young crowd.

On a good "note", we enjoyed Tom's music. It's modern but mellow and they have some excellent video footage that fits the music perfectly. So we may have looked like old farts to the people in the establishment but we didn't feel like old farts.....except when people looked at us with that strange "why are you here?" look.

Sad

My friend Gail called yesterday to report that her mother had died. We were expecting this call and, as Gail said, "at age 97 this wasn't a tragedy", but it's still sad. Gert has been an adopted parent for the 27 years we have known her. Our family has spent a lot of happy weekends up at "the lake" in Wisconsin where Gert lived until a few years ago. Gert has been part of our Christmas Eve gathering for years and years. We will miss her.

Lonely

We are not lonely, but my mom is. She called at 6:30 this morning upset about her laundry not being returned and that they hadn't cleaned her room. It's Sunday, the nursing home's regular staff is not there on Sunday, she hasn't had a visitor for two days, and the issue is not really the laundry or the cleaning. She just needs attention. Getting really old is just plain sad. Losing control of everything in your life is just plain sad. I talked with her nurse later and she's understanding and will give Mom some extra TLC today. The wonderful people who work at places like Rosewood don't have a prestigious job, but everyone should be shouting thank yous from the rooftops in appreciation of their dedicated service.

Fun

Yesterday we went to the Museum of Glass in Tacoma. Dale Chihuly, the great glass artist from Tacoma, is just a few years older than I. Later we went to the Tacoma Art Museum because they had a special show about David McCauley, the author of Cathedral and The Way Things Work. McCauley is exactly my age. Pretty cool that people my age are have displays IN MUSEUMS!

Comforting

After our museum visits we ate at a funky restaurant recommended by our travel book. This huge bar/restaurant abuts the university campus and attracted a crowd of students and wanna-be students. Our order was taken by a young man with huge studs in his lips, spiked hair, and ear lobes that had been distended into big circles as you see in National Geographic Magazine articles about native tribes deep in the Amazon. I must admit it is comforting to know who I am and, in spite of sagging body parts, be comfortable in my own skin.